On this day in 1869, Cornelius Swarthout of Troy, N.Y. patented his invention, the stove-top waffle iron. While waffles irons of sorts have existed since the 1300s, Swarthout intended to perfect the design by adding a handle and a clasp that would allow the waffle-maker to flip the iron without danger of slippage or burns. It wasn’t until 1911 that General Electric put out the first electric waffle iron, the prototype for the counter-top versions used in many households today.

Look at that contraption! Not bad for 1869!

And According to Mr. Breakfast, waffles have a rather interesting history:

13th Century A.C. – Ancient Greeks cook flat cakes between two metal plates. These early waffles were called obleios and were primarily savory in nature, prepared with cheeses and herbs.

1620 – The pilgrims bring Dutch “wafles” to America.

1735 – The word “waffle” – with two “f”s – appears in English print for the first time.

Late 1800’s – Thomas Jefferson returns to the U.S. from France with a long handled, patterned waffle iron.

1869 – Cornelius Swarthout patents the first U.S. Waffle Iron.

1953 – Frank Dorsa’s Eggo Frozen Waffles are sold in Supermarkets for the first time.

1964-65 – Brussels restaurateur Maurice Vermersch brings his wife’s Brussels Waffle recipe to the World’s Fair in New York. The fluffy yeast-infused waffle becomes a huge hit and becomes known as the Belgium waffle.

Waffles are even great for more than just breakfast… as evidenced by the popular restaurant here in LA:

MMMM.. Fried Chicken & Waffles!!!

And lastly, our beloved breakfast food was the origin of the blog name. Because you know…. Pancakes on Wednesday just doesn’t have the same ring, although POW is a great acronym!

Our Favorite Waffles

Without further adieu, here is our favorite waffle recipe, that we will, of course, be enjoying this lovely morning: